Macbeth Themes/Motifs: Connections to Contemporary Society

Through the duration of this Shakespearean play, many themes come more and more prominent. Macbeth proves the theme of ambition through his need for power and more control. Along with this, the theme of reality is tested when Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo. The themes of fate and free will are displayed through the witches prophecies,

Power of Ambition

Firstly, ambition is a driving force that can cause people to do things they normally wouldn't do. Macbeth had enough ambition for power to cause him to commit homicide multiple times. He normally wouldn't do this but his ambitious persona caused him to do such actions. This can also be revealed when politicians go out of their way to win an election. Politicians become corrupt and may perform horrible deeds in order to win. Another example would be how some athletes take performance enhancing drugs to do better in competitions or tournaments. Normally, they would realize that they shouldn't be doing what their doing but they are forced to continue with their actions.

Example of corrupt political actions

Lance Armstrong


Secondly,  the themes of Fate and Free Will are present in our world because many people believe in psychics and their ability to show us our future. If a psychic were to tell us that something good may happen, it could force us to perform certain actions in order to make the assumption true. If a psychic states anything that could be remotely relatable to anyone, it could spark curiosity. Once that curiosity kicks in, we would want to explore other areas of our lives and the psychic could provide reassurance or support.


Thirdly, the theme of appearance and reality can connect to ambition in our world. While being driven by ambition, one's reality can be altered since they need to be able to justify their actions. This can be visible, once again, through corrupt politicians since they might believe that their appearance may be better if they win. Appearances and realities could also be deceiving. Verbal irony is a great medium to express falsified impressions. For example would be in Macbeth, where Lady Macbeth and Macbeth seem eager to host King Duncan but really their plotting his murder. Another example would be online dating can be dangerous since many people hide behind a fake profile and it could turn out dangerous. Some people may choose to take on a fake persona to lure in others.